


There's Something Brilliant Bound to Happen Here

by yorkisms



Series: Three is the Magic Number [3]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Getting Together, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, T for swearing, Tucker and Church argue. a bit., some sexual references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 09:18:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12362568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yorkisms/pseuds/yorkisms
Summary: “Tell me about how you met my cousin. You know how he is with the talk.”Wash smiles quietly, tapping the edge of his cup.“Well to tell you that I have to tell you how I met Tucker, too.”“Right, because you’re lucky to pick up two guys, and I’m stuck with your flirty ex-roommate who ended up as my secretary,” Carolina says, tone light.“York’s not that bad with the flirting,” Wash says. Then he pauses. “Actually, no. He is.”“Tell me about your boyfriends, Wash.”(Or: How David Washington ended up with not one, but two, boyfriends who love him.)





	There's Something Brilliant Bound to Happen Here

**Author's Note:**

> I've given up on thinking these have a theme. They just kind of are. 
> 
> If you haven't read the others in the series: I thought it would be cool to write some poly fic with a relationship that's not a committed triad, but committed in another configuration. Thus, it's primarily Church/Wash and Tucker/Wash. It's explained within. 
> 
> This fic is dedicated to my boyfriend- if I said that the fic about Church was closer to me and the one about Tucker was closer to Phoenix (PeacefulPhoenix), this fic is for you. 
> 
>  
> 
> _So lean in close, or lend an ear_   
>  _There's something brilliant bound to happen here._

David Washington (Wash to friends) tends to find himself, once in a while, across a coffee shop table from one of his older friends, Caroline Church, stirring non-dairy creamer into his coffee and listening to her talk. 

Wash and Carolina have had more than one occasion to meet- they both graduated towards the top of their high school class and moved away from each other, and hadn’t spoken in years until Wash found out that not only was he dating Carolina’s younger cousin, Carolina was dating his ex-roommate. 

Small world.

Carolina takes a drink of her fancy coffee Wash can’t remember the name of.

“How’s Leo?” 

“He still doesn’t call?” Wash asks, and Carolina shakes her head.

“We get along fine, he just doesn’t wanna deal with our parents. Who I still talk to. So he keeps his distance.”

Wash sighs, shaking his head. “Too bad. From what you said about each other, you really used to get along.” 

Carolina flushes slightly under her full face of business makeup, mind drifting back to a time when both of them were younger and Carolina would drag Church on various adventures through the woods on their family’s property in the Texas countryside. 

“Don’t be embarrassed!” Wash says gently. “It’s cute. I’ve seen that picture of you when you were what, ten, and he was seven-” 

“The one from the lake house?” Carolina asks. Wash nods.

“You’re both covered in mud and water, and Church looks like he’s gonna become the world’s youngest serial killer, while you look like the cat that got the canary.”

Carolina laughs softly. 

“Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you.” 

“What’s that?” Wash says. 

“Tell me about how you met my cousin. You know how he is with the talk.” 

Wash smiles quietly, tapping the edge of his cup. 

“Well to tell you that I have to tell you how I met Tucker, too.”

“Right, because you’re lucky to pick up two guys, and I’m stuck with your flirty ex-roommate who ended up as my secretary,” Carolina says, tone light. 

“York’s not that bad with the flirting,” Wash says. Then he pauses. “Actually, no. He is.” 

“Tell me about your boyfriends, Wash.” 

“Okay, fine. It was shortly after I moved to Blood Gulch.” 

-

There was no doubt in the mind of anyone who had ever met Leonard Church and Lavernius Tucker that they would ever be separated by something as petty as time, distance, or money.

For Tucker, the most telling moment was when Church essentially abandoned his family’s...quite wealthy lifestyle and moved with him to a small-ish apartment in Blood Gulch. Church had finished a bachelor’s degree recently and was working on getting work as a freelance web designer and programmer, but work was coming slow. Tucker, on the other hand, had dropped out of college and moved several states to live closer to his child. 

“Just get a job at a restaurant or something,” Church had snapped when Tucker asked, before saying, “Get the fuck out of my room, I’m making a website.” 

It was during a walk downtown that Tucker had seen the MMA studio, looking quite run down with a poster in the window written in blue comic sans. 

> _Chorus Street Mixed Martial Arts- Hiring Instructors._
> 
> _Must have at least 5 years recent experience in any martial art practice._
> 
> _Contact Vanessa Kimball at (412)-800-9382._

Tucker had whipped out his phone and taken the number down to call later. 

A happy accident had been that a few years ago, shortly before and during his college years, Tucker had gotten into some athletic activities- namely, fencing and judo. How else was he supposed to maintain the looks to back up the seduction technique?  
Sure, it had been a few years, but it was always worth a shot. And it would be reasonable to argue that it was recent enough.  
It never hurts to try.

-

A few days pass and find Tucker waiting outside the studio in the early hours of the morning, waiting for the woman he talked to over the phone to show up for his interview. The day’s cloudy- foggy, in fact- and Tucker’s checking his social media for posts from the few friends he’s made in his apartment block.

**[** From: Leonerd **: Your future boss there yet]**

**[** To: Leonerd **: nah]**

**[** From: Leonerd **: ok well** im **not even your ride so** thats **on you]**

**[** To: Leonerd **: piss off and go back to writing code]**

Tucker hears someone pull up, and looks up from his phone, putting it away. 

Instead of who he would imagine is Vanessa Kimball, instead, a guy gets out of the beaten-up grey sedan that just parked in front of Tucker. Tucker has to immediately mark him down as cute- he’s got freckles all across his cheekbones, and he’s wearing a shirt with sleeves down to the forearm so Tucker can see that there are more freckles there. And his hair is bleached sandy blond, and he’s muscular. 

Tucker thinks he’s just a little in love.

The guy shuts his car door and approaches Tucker. 

“Sorry, Kimball sent me to open up for you. She’s running late.” 

“No problem,” Tucker says, deciding that hopefully he would get hired if he didn’t get this guy’s number within the foreseeable future.

“You move here recently?” The guy asks, pulling out some keys from his pocket on what looks like a lanyard with cats on it. That’s adorable.

“Yeah, best friend and I moved halfway ‘cross the country.” 

“Cool, welcome to the town.” He unlocks the door and turns back to Tucker, offering him a hand.

“David Washington. But everyone calls me Wash.”

Tucker gives Wash a charming grin and shakes his hand. “Lavernius Tucker. Just Tucker.”

“Nice to meet you,” Wash says, stepping inside and flicking the lights on. “Sorry if the place looks a little run-down. Vanessa- er, Kimball- picked it up a few months ago and we’ve been...keeping things together.” 

“It’s alright,” Tucker says airily. Wash heads behind the counter and starts typing on an ancient computer. 

“What sort of experience have you got?” 

“Did judo semi-competitive in college,” Tucker says. “Fencing, too. Sabers.” 

Wash actually looks somewhat impressed, which feeds Tucker’s confidence. 

Wash looks up at Tucker. “Can you hit the lights?” 

Tucker thinks Wash’s eyes are impressively green, like a forest in the summer.

“Oh! Sure.” 

Tucker turns around, hand finding the light switch. 

“Thanks,” Wash says.

“How long have you been working here?” Tucker asks. Wash shrugs. 

“Two months or so. It was intended to be temporary, but if this place stays afloat, I think I like it here.” 

“What’re the co-workers like?” 

“We have a few junior instructors, fewer adults. I used to do competitive boxing, left the scene. I’m roping in a few friends from back then to come onboard, but until then, I need a helping hand, so I asked Kimball to hire someone.”

“That would be me.” 

“If you’re willing to do a lot of work and prove you actually know a few things,” Wash replies, amused. 

“Well, I can do that. I ain’t just padding my resume, and I’m not afraid of hard work. Bow chicka wow wow.” 

Wash pauses, processes, then flushes, covering his face with one hand in frustration. 

“You’re also apparently the worst.”

“You sound like my roommate,” Tucker snorts. 

“They’ve got the right idea,” Wash shoots back. 

“What’re the juniors like?” 

“They’re good kids, really. Go to a high school in the suburbs. There’s Jensen, Bitters, Palomo, Smith, and Matthews. Smith takes the most hours, usually.” 

“I guess I trust your opinion of them as good kids,” Tucker says with a grin. Behind him, the door to the studio opens. 

“Wash, sorry I’m late,” a woman calls from the front. 

“Not too late,” Wash replies, “Kept him busy for you.” 

“Thanks for waiting, Mr. Tucker.” 

“Just Tucker is fine. Join me in the back office?”

“Sure, go ahead. One minute.” 

Kimball heads off in front of him. Tucker grabs a pen from a cup on the counter and scribbles his cell phone number on a spare scrap of paper he grabs, before shoving it to Wash and dashing off after her, only looking back to raise his hand in the universal symbol of ‘call me.’ 

Wash looks down at the paper and smiles. 

-

It’s a few months of what one would consider properly dating (exclusive) before Church meets his roommate and best friend’s boyfriend.  
It’s late at night, actually. He went out for drinks with his ex-girlfriend- they’re on better terms now than when they broke up, anyway.  
Church is quietly pulling his shoes off in the front entryway when he hears a soft thump from in front of him and looks up. 

There’s what Church would describe as a hot, shirtless guy in the door of their bathroom. 

A hot shirtless guy with fucking abs and freckles. And cute green eyes that are glowing in the bits of moonlight coming through the windows in the bathroom. He looks startled to see Church, even, and that expression of his isn’t bad too.

Church is pretty sure he flushes all over. 

“Wh-- Who the fuck are you!” he hisses. The guy winces. 

“Sorry, I’m-- Wash, I work with-”

“Oh, you’re Tucker’s...boyfriend.”

The cutest guy Church has ever seen is Tucker’s boyfriend. 

Church swallows. 

“Guess he didn’t text you to say I was staying the night,” Wash says, and Church tries to focus on the moment. 

“No. Sorry. I’m just gonna go to bed.” 

“Yeah, we can have a better introduction in the morning,” Wash says with a small smile, and Church curses romantic attraction. 

“Night, Church.” 

“Night.”

Church doesn’t sleep well that night. 

-

“Wait,” Carolina says, holding up one hand. “When did Tucker decide to...you know, share?” 

Wash smiles into his coffee. 

“Well, that was the part that involved a lot of miscommunication.”

“Well, now you have to tell me about that.”

“Okay, okay. Just don’t use it to tease Church, his pride was hurt enough as is.”

“Oh, well, that means it’s gonna be good.”

-

“Church,” Tucker calls, banging on Church’s bedroom door four months into dating Wash. “Can you come out and have dinner with me and Wash?” 

“Go away,” Church says, and for a minute Tucker thinks Church sounds hurt. 

“Come on dude, you like Wash. Better than you like pretty much anyone. Except me.” 

Tucker hears something hit the door.

“Go away, Tucker.” 

That’s Church’s no-joking tone. Tucker sighs. 

“Fine, selfish prick.” 

Tucker isn’t sure, but he thinks the noise Church makes is more genuinely hurt then a fuck-off. 

“He doesn’t want to come out?” Wash asks upon seeing Tucker’s expression as Tucker sits back down for dinner. 

“Guess not.” Tucker shoots a glare towards the hall leading to Church’s room. “I don’t know what the fuck his damage is.” 

Wash looks a little disappointed. 

“Oh. I wanted to talk to you both.” 

“About what?” Tucker asks. Wash looks down at his food. 

“I would rather that he was here, but if he doesn’t want to-” 

“You go ask,” Tucker says with a shrug. “He does like you, you know.” 

Wash pauses then stands up. “Yeah. I know. That’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.” 

“What?” 

“It’s not a big deal, alright, I’ll be right back.”

Tucker gives Wash a confused look and lets it go.

-

“Church.”

“Go away, prick.”

“It’s Wash.” 

“I know. I heard. I said go away.”

Wash hasn’t known Church as long as Tucker’s known him, but he thinks Church sounds more tired than angry. 

“I need to talk to you about something. Can I come in?”

Church is quiet, and Wash gently opens the door, closing it behind himself as he enters.

Wash doesn’t think he’s ever seen Church’s room, but it’s not far from what he expected. There’s a computer rigged with a few different game systems and other things Wash doesn't recognize, some old food, and laundry scattered around the floor. Church is laying down in his bed, curled up and facing away from Wash. 

“I know you’re not mad, Church.” 

“What are you doing here.”

“I just wanted to ask you and Tucker about something important, can you come eat with us for five minutes?” 

“Why do you care, I thought it was date night.” 

“No, it’s I want to talk to you and Tucker night. Now come on.” Wash has clearly lost some of his patience. 

“Fine,” Church growls, rolling out of bed. “If it’ll get you out of my room.” 

-

Dinner...is awkward. Church and Tucker are clearly now in the “giving each other the cold shoulder” stage of one of their feuds, and Wash hasn’t opened his mouth about whatever he wanted to say. 

“Look, if we’re not going to talk, I’m just going to go back to my room and play Bioshock-” 

“Oh for fuck’s sake just go, you already ruined the night anyway, god forbid anyone ask you to fucking socialize-”

“Why don’t you go fuck yourself ya fuckin’ schlump, you think you know fuckin’ everything, well you don’t!” 

“Shut up!” Wash snaps, and both Tucker and Church freeze in place. 

“I was going to wait until you both finished eating.” 

Church, despite his stubborn nature, is the first to back down, physically leaning away from the table. 

“What do you want, Washington.” 

Wash sighs. 

“I have a feeling I know what’s going on.” 

Tucker sits. “Enlighten me.” 

“Drop the attitude,” Wash says flatly. “Church.” 

“What.” 

“You didn’t want to come out here tonight because the past few months you’ve gotten to like me a little too much. Is that a correct assumption?” 

Church doesn’t speak- it’s rare that something would leave him without a snarky comment- and avoids both of their eyes. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” 

Tucker blinks. “So...you’re being an asshole because you have a crush on my boyfriend?”

“Uh, yes?” Church replies, looking at Tucker as if his friend had just sprouted wings. “One, I am not the kind of shithead who steals his best friend’s partner out from under him-”

“Or on top of him,” Tucker mutters, “Bowchickawowwow.” 

“-two, I’m just not in the mood to see you two all...kissy, and touchy, and shit. I’ll get over it. Eventually.”

“You were avoiding us because-”

“Of course I was!” Church exclaims. “What would you have done? You fucking got here first, and you’re fucking lucky, because you’re dating one of the most amazing guys in the universe! He’s the whole fucking package cute, sweet, funny, clever, you win! And there’s no prize for second place!” 

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you two about,” Wash says, voice quiet. “What if...I didn’t want you to get over it. If there...was in fact, a prize for second place, so to speak.”

“Are you going to ask me if you can fuck Church,” Tucker blurts, stunned. 

Wash flushes. “No! Not like that!” 

Wash proceeds to rest his chin in one hand and play with his food. “I dunno, in college I knew a few people who had committed to multiple relationships. Like, I was in and out of a sort-of thing between my buddy and his girlfriend, but life happened. So...I would be open to doing something like that again. But more committed, I guess.” 

“So...we still date...and you date Church.” 

“Well, yeah.”

“Huh.” Tucker pauses. Church is quiet, but Wash can tell he’s gone a little hopeful about the idea.

“We don’t have to date each other, right? I don’t think I feel that way about Church, sorry buddy.” 

“I wouldn’t date you if you were the last man on earth,” Church snarks back, and Tucker smiles, and Wash thinks he might have won.

“Oh, no. Just...you two, dating me.” 

“We can always try,” Tucker says, looking at Church, whose expression picks up. 

“Ok, well, my first request is that Tucker gets the fuck out of the way for five minutes because I am six months behind on kissing our boyfriend.” 

“I can’t believe I’m in love with both of you,” Wash snarks, grabbing Church’s bicep and pulling him in. 

\-- 

“I can’t say there haven’t been downs,” Wash says, stirring his coffee again. “There are with any relationship. Junior moving in a few months ago was...certainly a surprise. But we do what we can, and, well, we support each other. I’m sure you and York do the same, it’s just that there’s three of us.” 

Carolina shakes her head. “No, no, I understand.” She smirks devilishly. 

“I bet my little cousin looks just the tiniest bit cute when he’s really grumpy.” 

Wash grins. “Like a wet cat.” 

Carolina laughs. “No wonder you like him so much! The kid’s basically an irritable furball.” 

“I can’t say the similarities aren’t there,” Wash muses. “But I can’t say if that’s why I love cats, or why I love Church.” 

“Same time next week? I have a meeting in ten, and I’m guessing you need to get back to work. I’ll pick up the tab.” 

“Thanks, boss. Same time next week.”

**Author's Note:**

> I might write more for this AU? Don't know. We'll see how it fares. 
> 
> I take flash fiction/drabble prompts on my tumblr: letthelazerteamlive  
> And if you could want my twitter for any conceivable reason it's: @extraplutonium
> 
> Kudos and comments mean the world, but thank you for just stopping in and reading!


End file.
